As found at: Ignatian Spirituality.com, this six-session series is led by Jim Manney, author of “A Simple, Life-Changing Prayer. Discovering the Power of St. Ignatius Loyola’s Examen”. See: Lunchtime Examen.
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Session 1
1) Ask God for light. I want to look at my day with God’s eyes, not merely my own.
Does God see the same old, same old, when He looks at my day, because that’s what I see. I don’t mean same old, same old in the sense that I’m not aware of how blessed I am, but that comes under the gratitude section. I guess I haven’t got the hang of this yet. I don’t have a feel for how He views the contents of my days.
2) Give thanks. The day I have just lived is a gift from God. Be grateful for it.
Grateful for Skype, to see and talk to a dear one, for my cozy blanket while I work in the chilly basement, for my chilly basement to work in, for bright colours around me (clothes, books, gel pens) on this bleak, mid-winter’s day, for shepherd’s pie (which didn’t turn out too badly, if I do say so myself), grace, tranquility, orderliness.
3) Review the day. I carefully look back on the day just completed, being guided by the Holy Spirit.
When was God especially present today? When I woke up, and my thoughts turned to my Morning Offering right away.
4) Face your shortcomings. I face up to what is wrong – in my life and in me.
Where did I fall short today? I felt impatient, but with no one and with nothing in particular. A vague irritability.
5) Look toward the day to come. I ask where I need God in the day to come.
Where and how will I need you tomorrow, Lord? To help me get up and out on time; to help me be cheerful and encouraging to everyone in my path.
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Another beautiful Lenten resource I’m following: 24-7 Prayer – Lent 2013 Walk With Us (podcast or video), starting February 13, 2013.
1. I think He sees an utterly adorable (and fruitful!) little daughter in you.
2. It must please Him greatly to hear your simple, humble, profound, sincere thanks.
3. A nun friend as a child slept on the very edge of her bed so that the Holy Family would have enough room. People who pray a Morning Offering are like her.
4. You’re stuck in a world sometimes too far away from your beloved Father, Brother, Friend and Mother. It’s okay to feel vaguely irritable.
5. I hope He granted you all that AND provided edible, audible, visual, floral treats.
Thanks for the encouragement, C. I love the image of the nun making room in her bed for the Holy Family! I’m trying to think of the treats he provided; well, one of those avocados I mentioned before; yum. And the music on the pray-as-you-go podcast; the snowfall mid-to-late afternoon today, you know those big, soft flakes that look like Christmas Eve. Floral: the flowers hubby gave me for Valentine’s Day are still in full force – reds and whites – just gorgeous. Yes, thank you for bringing all these things to mind.